Current motor



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Jan. 30, 1923; 1

' C. B. JORDI N. CURRENT MOTOR FILED JUNE 9. I921 nu ants C/czzence cfazdwz Jan. 30, 1923. 1,443,845

C B. JORDIN. CURRENT MOTOR. FILED Jumz 9, 1921. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 16 snow wot Chi/572065 c/mawz Patented den. lQEl'l.

rises cnaaniicn BENTON JORDIN, or orin EL M, WASH G ON.

CURRENT MOTOR.

Application filed June 9, 1921. Serial No; 476,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE l3. JonnIN,

- a citizen of the United States, residing at Cle Elum, in the county of Kittitas and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ourrent Motors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in current motors and more particularly to those which are anchored near the bed of a stream or river, so as to be unaffected by tides, driftwood, etc. i

The invention has for its principal object to provide a current motor in which a plurality of current operated blades are carried by endless tread chains in a novel man ner and are turned by unique means to inactive position, when the ends of their strokes have been reached.

lVith the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a current motor constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view as indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a detail elevation showing the manner of connecting the blades with the endless belts or chains.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view as inclicated by line 55 in Fig. 4-.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing more particularly the action of the blades as they reach the endof their working strokes.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates a horizontally elongated rectangular frame provided with appropriate end bars 2 extending horizontally across the upper and lower portions of the frame. The end bars 2 at the inlet end of the frame are offset from each other horizontally and a plurality of inclined grating bars 3 are secured at their ends to said end bars so as to form a guard to prevent submerged ice and any other solid matter from the upper reaches of the chain,

The frame 1 includes a pair of longitudi-' nal side bars l upon which bearings oare mounted fora pair of transverse horizontal shafts 6. The bearings at oneend of theframe are preferably adjustable by means of nuts, screws or the like 7. 1

Each shaft 6 is equipped with a pair of horizontally spaced guide wheels 8 which are preferably in the form of sprockets, and a pair of endless belts, here of chains 9, are trained around the wheels 8, being lower reaches. At suitably spaced intervals, rods 10 extend between the chains 9 and are suitably attached at their ends thereto, and upon these rods, the bearings 11 of a plurality of blades 12, are pivotally mounted, said bearings being preferably. secured to the blades by eye-bolts 18. The blades 12 of'the lower reach of the chains ,9 are adapted to extend upwardly as shown clearly in Fig. 2, to be actedon by the current, and

flexible braces 14, preferably in the form of chains, are provided to hold said blades in operative position. of the braces 14 is connected cent eye-bolt 13, while'the other end thereof is connected with the outer edge'of the next adjacent blade 12, by an like 15. By comparing portions of Fig. 2, it will be seen that while the chains 1% hold the blades 12 in operative position on the lower reaches of they permit feathering of said eye-bolt or the blades upon so that there will be no obstruction to their passage through the water against the current.

For turning the blades outwardly from.

position when they reach the ends of their working strokes, I provide a wheel 16. This wheel is secured on the rearinost of the shafts v6, between the guide wheels 8 of said shaft and it is positioned in the path of the blades 12 as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The result is that as the blades strike the wheel (see'Fig. 6) they must tilt their operative the upper and lower shown in the form provided with horizontal upper and One end of each with the adjathe chains 9,

as shown in full lines in this figure, the tilt ing increasing as the chains 9 continue to move in the direction indicated by the arrow 16. Nhen the blades have tilted approxi-v mately to the extent shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, the water current acts on'said blades and throws them outwardly to the position indicated at P in Fig. 2. Thus, as the blades travel against the current during their return strokes, they do not materially retard the operation of the motor.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have produced a comparatively simple and inexpensive yet a highly et'licient and desirable current motor, particu lar attention being directed to the manner of mounting the blades lzend turning them to inactive position at the ends of their strokes.

Since probably the best results may be obtained from the details disclosed these details may be followed it desired. 1 Wish it understood however that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may be made.

I claim:

1. A current motor comprising a frame having at pair of laterally spaced guide wheels at each end, a pair 0t endless belts 1 said Wheels and having horielity of bladesextendis and pivoted at their the lower adapted to en- Said: reaches to be acted l a. blede-tirnins l o and r J o wheels at ent t 1;; Wheel being in extending blades 

